Remembering Betty
by SPB
Summary: When Blythe reads the final page in her mother's journal, she finds that there is still much about her mom that she doesn't know about. So she seeks answers from the one person who can tell her what her mom was like and what happened to her, her father. But Blythe will be amazed by what her dad has to say.


Blythe Baxter was sitting in her room, in her apartment above Littlest Pet Shop (now the jewel in the crown of Mrs. Twombly's recently opened Littlest Pet Street), happily reading through her mother's journal. Page after page was filled with remarkable details about her mother's ability to talk to pets big and small alike.

The teenage girl was filled with amazement, her mom could even understand pets that spoke foreign languages (after taking a few lessons of course). " _Seems like there's not a pet in the world you couldn't talk to, Mom._ " Blythe thought to herself, skimming through the pages. Suddenly, one page caught Blythe's eye. "What the huh?!" She exclaimed, uttering her famous catch phrase as she read the following page outloud, it was dated December 21, 1980: "Dear journal: Normally I write in you about my incredible ability to talk to animals, even when nobody else seems to be able to. But today, things are a little different. I met this wonderful young man by the name of Roger Baxter, and he attends the same high school I attend. It was at a holiday party hosted by my friend Christie, that I was introduced to this aspiring young man, and I must admit I find myself quite smitten with him. Even as I write in you thoughts of him consume my mind. For now Roger has informed me he'll be going back to his parents for the holidays, but he will return when classes resume in the new year. I don't know if my thoughts on him will fade with time, but for now it seems he is all I can think about. Sincerely: Lauren 'Betty' J. Johnson."

Blythe read further, page after page of her mom's journal was filled with detailed accounts of her meetings with Roger. The last page was dated June 21, 1984: "Dear journal, per my own aspirations, I have decided to pursue a career in veterinary care. I hope to someday be able to use my unique ability to better understand the needs of pets, and provide them with the care they deserve. To that end, I am applying myself to college on the island of Griffin Rock, which has a veterinary program I can enroll in. However, I have also concluded that I am getting too old to continue writing in you, and so this will be my last entry. I entrust the care of you to my tortoise, Speedy Shelberg. And I hope that, someday, I will find the courage to tell Roger and everyone I know, about my unique gift. But for now, none of them, not even Roger, can know for they will surely think I'm crazy. Writing off for the last time: Lauren 'Betty' J. Johnson."

"That's it?! That's where it ends?!" Blythe exclaimed, as she scanned the pages again and again just to make sure she hadn't somehow missed one. She even tried to check for invisible ink with a special flashlight, but she found nothing. "How can that be where it ends?! I'm only fifteen years old, and Dad says I wasn't born until March 31, 1998. He couldn't have been lying about how he knew I could talk to pets and that my mom could do the same, could he?"

"I don't know, Blythe. I wasn't on the plane when you told your Dad your big secret," Zoe commented, she and Russell had come up to Blythe's bedroom v.i.a the dumbwaiter. The rest of the pets were down in the day camp, but Zoe and Russell had felt they needed some time to rest after all the stress they'd gone through during the opening of Littlest Pet Street. "It's possible he just put the pieces together himself."

"There's still a good fourteen years or so before you were born. Just because your mom's journal ends where it does doesn't mean it's the end of her story," Russell told Blythe. "Maybe you can get some answers?"

"I suppose I could try," Blythe replied, setting the journal down and rising from her bed. "And there's only one person I can think of who can provide me with the answers I need."

* * *

Blythe made her way downstairs, Zoe and Russell had gone back to the day camp to wait for their owners (who were due at any minute) so she was on her own. But she wasn't bothered by this fact, there shouldn't be any reason for her dad not to tell her the truth.

Sure, she'd never really asked about her mom before, and to be perfectly honest Blythe couldn't remember a single memory that her mom was in. But Blythe was still confident her dad would be able to provide her with the answers she was seeking.

It didn't take long for Blythe to find her father, he was sitting at the kitchen table holding a coffee mug in his right hand, while he skimmed through the local newspaper. Blythe cleared her throat, announcing her presence to her dad.

Roger set the newspaper down on the table, instantly coming face to face with his daughter as she moved to sit down. "Oh, hello Blythe," Roger greeted with a fatherly smile. "Everything okay?"

"Actually, there's…. something I want to ask you." Blythe answered.

"What sort of something?" Roger asked, suspecting nothing.

Rather than try to tiptoe her way around the subject, Blythe immediately spoke up and asked. "I was reading through Mom's journal, and I noticed her last entry was a good fourteen years before I was born. And in it, she wrote that she hadn't told you about her special gift yet. It got me to thinking, I don't really remember what Mom was like, and I was hoping you could give me some ideas."

Blythe expected her father to freeze up and try to change the subject, that's how it always worked on those television shows she liked to watch. But much to her surprise, her dad didn't even hesitate. Despite a hint of sadness in his eyes, he simply looked at her and replied. "You're old enough to know, Blythe. I was just waiting for you to ask. Your mother was truly a wonderful woman, she was funny, talented, super smart, and always willing to go out of her way to help others no matter what."

"You two met at a holiday party hosted by a woman named Christie, right?" Blythe asked. "She mentioned that in her journal."

Roger nodded. "It's the very same Christie that runs _Sweet Delights_ , she and your mom used to be the best of friends before they went their separate ways after college. But for a time, I thought we would never see each other again after your mom left for Griffon Rock to attend a veterinary program."

"So, when did she come back and tell you about her unique ability?" Blythe asked her dad. "Or were you just pulling my leg the entire time about that?"

Roger shook his head as he said seriously. "It was just a week after she came back to Downtown City." And he began to flashback to what he still considered one of his fondest memories.

* * *

It was the middle of Summer, 1989, and a younger Roger was excited. " _I can't believe Betty's been back for only a week now, it already feels like forever since we were apart._ " He thought to himself, as he stopped at a flower shop a short distance from the park. He knew Betty had said to meet her under the same tree they'd met under several times throughout high school (often against the wishes of their parents), but he just had to get something to show Betty how much he'd missed seeing her. Remembering that her favorite flowers were violets, Roger quickly purchased the first bouquet of the sweet smelling flowers, and set off.

Betty was waiting for Roger when he arrived at the park a short time later, her long braided red hair had been styled to perfection, and her blue eyes reflected not a look of impatience, but of relief and excitement. "Roger, I have something important I need to tell you! Something that you're never going to believe!" She spoke up, barely able to contain how excited she was. Then she noticed the bouquet of violets Roger was holding. "Are those for me?" She asked, hopefully.

Roger nodded. "They're my way of saying 'I'm glad you've come back. I missed you so much.'"

Betty readily accepted the flowers and gave Roger a big hug. "Oh Roger, you didn't have to do that! But thank you all the same!"

Roger tried his hardest to smile, Betty always had a tendency to give out killer hugs when she got really excited.

Once the hug had subsided, Betty set the flowers on the ground and looked Roger in the eyes as best she could. She was taking a big risk confessing this secret to him, what if he laughed at her or thought she was weird? Taking a deep breath and trying not to gulp, Betty did her best to pluck up courage. "Roger, there's…. something I've been meaning to tell you for some time now. Something I probably should've told you earlier, but I didn't because I was afraid of what you'd think."

"Come now, Betty, you know I could never think badly of you," Roger smiled in reassurance. "I'm sure it's not anything super weird. I mean, it's not like you're claiming you can talk to animals or anything, right?" Roger expected Betty to laugh alongside him, but she didn't. It took Roger a moment to realize what that meant. "You're serious? You actually _can_ talk to animals?" He asked, once the shock had worn off.

Betty blushed bright red and all she could do was nod, any words that she could've formed wouldn't come out. She just stood there for a few moments, waiting for Roger's reaction. She wasn't sure what it would be, but she was preparing herself for the absolute worst case scenario.

Much to Betty's surprise, Roger didn't react at all like she had expected him to. He just looked at her and smiled. "I always knew there was something special about you, Betty," He commented. "Granted, I didn't know it was because of this. But I've always wondered what it would be like to talk to and understand animals."

"You don't think I'm weird?" Betty asked Roger, hoping she wasn't misinterpreting his comments.

"No weirder than anybody else." Roger replied in a warm and friendly tone.

"You don't require any proof?" Betty asked, still trying to process the fact that Roger wasn't laughing at her.

"Something in my heart tells me that you aren't lying," Roger explained. "Besides, we both know you're a pretty bad liar."

Betty blushed and nervously chuckled. "Guilty as charged," She then leaned close to Roger and kissed him on the cheek. "Think of that as my way of saying 'Thanks for not thinking I'm completely crazy.'" Now it was Roger's turn to blush.

* * *

"I proposed to her the following Spring," Roger told his daughter, reflecting fondly on the memory. "She practically leaped for joy when I did and said 'Yes' without any hesitation. Our wedding was a joyous occasion. I still have our wedding video, but it's a pity the apartment we live in doesn't have a VCR. I remember how exciting it was when video tapes were first introduced and you could finally watch shows without having to be there when they came on."

"When did you and Mom officially tie the knot?" Blythe asked, hoping for a more precise date.

"I don't remember the exact day, but it was in early October 1990," Roger replied, as he fondly sighed. "Your mom and I were dressed to kill, and at that moment I knew I made the right choice."

* * *

Roger and Betty stood at the altar of a modest chapel just outside of Downtown City, all their friends and family were in attendance and had filled that little church up to capacity.

Roger wore a magnificent black tuxedo with a bright red bow on the collar, he had combed his brown hair into a set of perfect locks and had even recently shaved. His wife to be, Betty, stood next to him in a beautiful and flowing white dress, a few birds helping to hold it up.

The priest was a small but pudgy man with blonde hair cut short, and brown eyes. Neatly dressed in a red papal robe with gold trim, he held the good book in his hand as he looked at the young couple and began the ceremony that would join them together. "If there is anyone here who has any reason why these two should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace," He declared. No one said a word, and the priest took that as a sign to proceed. He turned first to Roger and asked. "Roger Baxter, do you take Betty Johnson to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do!" Roger happily nodded without hesitation.

The priest immediately turned to Betty and asked her. "Betty Johnson, do you take Roger Baxter to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, until do you part?"

"I do!" Betty replied, barely able to contain her excitement.

Smiling, the priest announced. "I now pronounce you, man and wife! You may kiss the bride."

Roger didn't need to be told twice, as he slipped the wedding ring onto the appropriate finger of Betty's right hand, and the young couple officially leaned in and kissed each other. The entire chapel stood up and applauded happily!

* * *

"We honeymooned in Europe," Roger recalled, smiling at the happy memories. "And soon after we came back your mother opened her very own veterinary clinic right here in Downtown City. But before belong, Betty and I decided we were tired of the hustle and bustle of city life, so we closed up shop and moved into the suburbs. About a year later, yours truly decided he wanted to become a pilot," A faint hint of sadness crept in Roger's voice as he added. "She claimed she understood my decision, and that no matter what she still loved me, but I could tell she was hurt a little by the fact that my career didn't involve helping animals."

"Were you a pilot when I was born?" Blythe asked her father. "I can't remember a time when you weren't one."

Roger nodded. "There's no age limit as to when you can apply for a student pilot license, but it took me years before I was able to pass the exam and get certified. Heck, I only landed my first job as a pilot a year before you were born."

"I'll bet it was hard on Mom for the two of you to be in different career fields and working all the time," Blythe commented. "Did it ever cause you two to argue?"

"Oh, all the time. Don't let anybody ever tell you married couples don't argue, because they do," Roger chuckled. "And as much as I'm ashamed to admit it, we argued over the silliest of things. On more than a few occasions one of us would end up sleeping on the couch since we were so mad with each other. But we could never stay mad at each other for long, our longest argument lasted only for a week."

Blythe giggled ever so slightly at those comments, the way her dad phrased it made it sound like one of those old married couples you saw on television.

"I still remember the day you were born, Blythe," Roger went on, changing the subject. "I'd just successfully completed my first solo flight with Downtown Airlines. Just minutes after I'd reached the terminal, your mom called me on the company's phone to tell me she was going into labor and was on her way to the hospital! It was definitely a shock, we'd both been told you wouldn't be due for at least another week! I practically had to speed halfway across town to get there in time!" And he began to recall what he considered one of his fondest memories.

* * *

Roger knew he was a mess, his hair was frazzled and looked like it hadn't been combed or brushed in days, he hadn't had time to change out of his pilot suit that still smelled of sweat and in-flight peanuts, and he was quite certain that his heart was beating so hard it could jump right out of his chest if it wanted to!

But he didn't care, all Roger knew was that his wife had gone into labor and he had to be there for the delivery! " _Please, Betty, just hang on! I'm coming! I'm not about this to miss this moment, not for the world!_ " He thought, as he rushed into Downtown City General Hospital and dashed up to the reception desk.

"Can I help you?" A young pale pink haired nurse with blue eyes asked, looking up at the noticeably shaken up Roger.

"Betty Baxter, where is she?!" Roger demanded, panting heavily.

"Settle down, sir," The nurse advised. "Who are you?"

"Roger Baxter, my wife is Betty Baxter! Please, I need to see her!" Roger pleaded, continuing to pant.

The nurse smiled, as she quickly checked the list of recently admitted patients. "Ah yes, Betty Johnson Baxter. She was just wheeled into room 427. You must be the lucky soon to be father."

"Yes… that's me… please take me to her! Now!" Roger insisted.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, but I can give you directions to her room," The nurse told Roger. "Elevators are just down the hall. Go up to the fourth floor, down the hall, make a left, and room 427 is the first door on the right."

Roger was in such a state that he rushed off without saying "Thank you" to the nurse! He bolted to the first available elevator as if his very life depended on it! Time seemed to slow to a crawl from the moment he exited onto the fourth floor, as he followed the nurse's instructions as best he could! At last, he reached the designated room, turned the doorknob, and went inside without bothering to take a moment to compose himself!

Betty's blue eyes immediately met the blueish-green eyes of her husband, but if it weren't for the pilot suit you'd be forgiven if you thought he'd just come home from a war. She was resting in her bed that rested next to the windowsill, the only sound in the room being the occasional beep from the machine off to her right. "Roger, so glad you could make it." She smiled despite the obvious exhausted tone her voice had.

"I'm sorry honey, I got here as fast as I could, honest," Roger panted, clumsily stumbling over to his wife. "Please don't be mad with me, if I'd know our baby was going to pick today of all days to come out, I would've stayed home."

Betty only laughed, Roger could such a big goof sometimes, but that's part of what had drawn her to him in the first place. "Don't be silly, darling, you couldn't have known," She told him. "At least you're here now and can say hello to our new daughter."

"It's a girl?!" Roger exclaimed, he hadn't even considered what gender the baby was going to be in his rush to be with his wife.

Betty nodded, and parted her arms ever so slightly, revealing that she was cradling a tiny girl. Said girl had brown hair and blue eyes that were looking at the man standing beside the woman currently cradling her. "Isn't she a cutie?" Betty asked her husband.

Roger smiled in agreement while also trying to suppress the urge to grin, he'd just become a father! "What are we going to call her? We never really discussed names."

"I was thinking, Blythe. Can't really explain why, but it's the first name that came to my mind." Betty suggested.

"Blythe's a wonderful name for our baby girl," Roger immediately agreed. "She'll be a fine addition to the Baxter family."

* * *

"I thought I was prepared for everything, but fatherhood was a challenge nobody could've prepared me for," Roger chuckled, as he continued his story. "Even your mother found herself getting driven up the wall a few times. But there was one secret weapon your mom always had to get you to calm down."

"What was that?" Blythe asked.

Roger smiled as he fondly spoke with a smile. "Her singing. I only wish I'd gotten around to recording her lullabies onto a tape like I kept telling myself I was going to do. It would've given me something to remember your mother by besides just pictures. I thought I had all the time in the world, and that Betty and I would be together until we were old and grey. Heck, we even talked about maybe having another kid someday," A faint tear came into his eye as he then sighed and added. "If only I had known how little time we were going to have."

"Why? What happened to Mom?" Blythe anxiously asked, even though something in her head was screaming that asking for such details was a bad idea.

"Don't let anybody ever tell your Mom didn't have a heart," Roger said, his tone taking on a more somber and even sorrowful tone. "Because she had the biggest heart I'd ever seen in anybody, especially when it came to animals. That was what she dedicated her life to, and it was only fitting that she'd continue doing it until the very end. She left for Africa in late August to help some of the endangered animals there, and she did so alone."

* * *

"Betty, please, let me take you! I've got my pilot's license now and I'm certified to fly solo!" Roger pleaded, as his wife began to pack suitcases.

But Betty only said in response. "Roger, think of our daughter. Think of Blythe. Somebody has to stay and take care of her."

"I can leave her with my parents, they've been dying to see their granddaughter again!" Roger insisted. "Heck, I can even leave Blythe at daycare if I have to!" Dropping to one knee he pleaded. "Betty, we've always done things together! After I wasn't there to support you when you were giving birth to our daughter, I swore I'd always be there for you when you needed me! I'm not about to let us be alone again!"

Betty absolutely hated arguing with her husband, his pleading was more heartbreaking than any animal she had ever tended to. But she had already made up her mind and made arrangements, it was too late to cancel them now. "I'm sorry, Roger," She sadly replied, trying her hardest to stay strong. "But you needn't worry, I'll be back in two weeks. And for our anniversary, I'll gladly let you fly me wherever you want to go." And after giving her husband a kiss, she finished packing her suitcases, and staggered out the door to the taxi waiting for her.

Roger tried to run after Betty and stop her, but it was too late! By the time he reached the curb, Betty had already climbed into the taxi and said taxi had sped away! Roger sighed, the next two weeks were going to be quite difficult, for him and for Blythe.

* * *

The two weeks dragged by at a snail's pace for Roger, who found it hard to juggle time between his career as a pilot, and his infant daughter that would turn one and a half next month. He was so relieved when he finally woke up one morning and saw on the calendar that his wife would be coming back, albeit very late.

That day passed uneventfully for a long time, Roger got up, showered, made breakfast for himself, and tended to Blythe for a while before leaving for work when her babysitter showed up. When he finally clocked out of his shift after the evening rush, Roger drove home as fast as he was legally allowed to go. "Blythe, I'm home!" He called, as he walked through the front door of his condo.

"Dada!" Blythe gurgled, practically running up to her father who happily scooped her up by her little bottom and let her nuzzle into his chest.

Roger giggled. "That's right, Dada's home." He said thanks and goodbye to the babysitter, and spent the next hour and a half just playing with Blythe and watching some cartoons with her. He had just set her down for her pre dinner nap, when he heard the phone ring. " _Who could be calling me at this time of day?_ " He thought, as he left the door to his daughter's nursery open slightly ajar and went into the kitchen to answer the phone. "Hello, this is Roger Baxter speaking." He called into the phone.

"Roger?! Oh thank the stars!" Betty practically screamed on the other end, was it Roger's imagination or were there sounds of rumbling?

"Betty, what's going on? Is everything alright?!" Roger asked, still wondering why his wife had called him.

"No, things are looking pretty bad, we've hit some very stormy weather!" Betty frantically told Roger, as an almost deafening boom was heard! "Roger, I don't think I'm going to make it out of here! The pilot's trying to turn around and head back to the airport, but we're already out at sea and this storm isn't letting up!"

Roger became quite frantic, he really hoped the pilot Betty was with hadn't been foolish enough to try and take off in a storm! All pilots were told that taking off or landing in a storm was dangerous, and should be avoided at all costs! "Betty, you've just got to have faith! Everything will work out, you're going to make it back to the airport! The storm's going to pass, and your flight will be delayed!"

But what Betty said next made Roger's heart sink, as she told him. "It's too late for me, Roger, I'm sorry. I know I promised to come home, but it seems mother nature has plans of her own. Please, take good care of Blythe." The last thing that could be heard was another almost deafening boom, before the line went dead!

Roger desperately shouted into the phone, hoping that somehow he could get through to his wife! "Betty?! Betty?! Betty?! Betty, speak to me, please! Say something! Come on, the joke's over!" But the only thing on the other end of the line was silence. "BETTY!" Roger screamed, inadvertently waking up Blythe in the process.

* * *

By now Roger was well aware of the fact that tears was streaming down his face, but he didn't care. He just continued to look at Blythe as he told her. "I got a call the next day from the airliner your mom was on. Shortly after take off the plane ran into a thunderstorm and went down over the Atlantic, taking everyone on board with it. You were too young to know the truth, Blythe, you weren't two years old. I sent you to live with your grandparents until after the funeral, and whenever you asked about 'Mommy' I'd just tell you she'd gone away on a trip but would come back someday."

Blythe wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't form. She just sat there listening, as her father finished his story.

"So now you know the truth, Blythe," Roger sadly went on, wiping the tears from his eyes to the best of his ability. "And when I look into your eyes, I can still see your mom's smiling face looking back at me."

"Wow, I never knew you had such a personal story," Blythe finally commented, as she stood up, walked over to her father, and gave him a big hug. "For what it's worth, I think you're the best dad any girl could ask for. I may find you embarrassing sometimes, but I know you love me with all your heart. And I'm sure that if Mom could see us both, she'd be proud of us."

"You're right, Blythe," Roger nodded and smiled, sharing in the hug. Then he told his daughter. "In a lot of ways, you remind me of your mom, and not just because you can talk to animals. You've got that big heart she always had, and that lovely singing voice."

"Do you really mean it?" Blythe asked.

"Of course I do, Blythe. Of course I do." Roger happily replied, and both father and daughter just stood there hugging for some time.


End file.
